The best free events and festivals in NYC

Shop 'til you drop at FAD Market, a curated fashion, art and design pop-up marketplace, which is back for 2025. Expect to see your favorite makers plus brand new creatives to help you live smarter, gift better and support local businesses.  FAD—which stands for Fashion, Art and Design—takes over different venues with a horde of independent vendors and creators. Admission is free and dogs are welcome! Peruse handmade jewelry, apparel, skincare products, tableware, artisanal packaged food, and more. Whether you're shopping for you or a friend (or even getting an early on that holiday shopping), there are plenty of local gems to pick up.  Here's the upcoming FAD Market schedule for 2025 August 9-10: Summer Market at Empire Stores in Dumbo August 16-17: Governors Island market September 6-7: Fall pop-up at Empire Stores in Dumbo September 21: Market at Open Streets on Montague  October 4-5: Fall pop-up at Empire Stores in Dumbo October 18-19: Market at Brooklyn Brewery October 25-26: Fall pop-up at St. Paul in Cobble Hill November 8-9: Fall pop-up at Empire Stores in Dumbo December 6-7: Holiday pop-up at Empire Stores in Dumbo; holiday pop-up at St. Paul in Cobble Hill  December 13-14: Holiday pop-up at Empire Stores in Dumbo; holiday pop-up at St. Paul in Cobble Hill  December 20-21: Holiday pop-up at Empire Stores in Dumbo; holiday pop-up at St. Paul in Cobble Hill 

It’s hard to get good food on the cheap, but for ten years, Queens Night Market has prided itself on offering the city’s best eats for just $5-6. Ranked one of the best food festivals in the U.S., the foodie festival runs on Saturday nights through the summer at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.  There will also be other items sale besides food, including vintage apparel, handmade jewelry, ceramic products, locally produced art pieces, crochet toys, stationery, and much more. In its existence, the market has attracted over three million visitors, helped launch 450 new businesses in New York and represented more than 95 countries through its vendors and their food. In 2022, the event averaged over 15,000 attendees each Saturday night. 

This isn't your grandma's Bingo game. Instead, head to the The Standard High Line for three nights of Bingo with a spooky twist this October. The Halloween edition of Not Your Standard Bingo is happening at The Standard High Line every Sunday at 9pm until October 26. Book a table for you and your crew for one of the following nights: October 12 is Michael Myers Bingo; October 19th is Halloweentown Bingo; and October 26 wraps up with Addams Family Bingo.

This annual cans-for-a-cause competition pits architecture teams against each other to create larger-than-life art installations using thousands upon thousands of cans of food, all in the name of ending hunger (every can is donated to City Harvest to help feed those in need). Head to Brookfield Place in Manhattan (230 Vesey Street) from October 30-November 10 (10am-7pm) to see the unveiling of these engineering spectacles, all built after months of planning. Then check back to see if your favorite takes home any titles in judges’ categories like Best Use of Labels, Best Meal and Structural Ingenuity. You can even vote for your favorite sculpture once the sculptures are unveiled.  Every year, teams go all out with creativity. Expect to be wowed by 23 differents sculptures. Past sculptures have included a hot air balloon, a bodega cat, baby Yoda, Winnie the Pooh, Mario, Buckingham Palace, a pigeon sipping a coffee, and lots more. This the 33rd year for Canstruction. Each year, the event results in the largest annual single donation of canned food to City Harvest. This year's donations will help reach the organization's goal of rescuing and delivering more than 86 million pounds of food to pantries and soup kitchens across New York City. Admission is free, but do your part by donating some canned goods to the cause.

More a full-fledged festival than a mere ball, this spirited event has been a tradition at Theater for the New City since 1976. Costumes or formal wear are highly encouraged, and live performances and music contribute to this monster bash. The outdoor events, from 2:30pm to 6:30pm, include a variety show emceed by Mary Tierney and Rocco Nicholas, a children's costume competition and The Red and Black Masque, a short Medieval ritual show performed by torchlight at 6pm. The action then moves indoors through midnight with 10-minute cabaret performances—by artists including Fairy Tale Marionettes, TNC’s Street Theater Ensemble, fire juggler John Grimaldi, composer Peter Dizzoza and belly dancer Carol Tandava—as well as  vaudeville acts, aerial dance, a scream contest and a "Monsters and Miracles Costume Parade." The swing orchestra Art Lillard's Heavenly Big Band (8pm–9:30pm) and Mr. Pablo's Latin Dance Band (10pm–11pm) help keep the ballroom rolling.